Expanding a Custom Dictionary

Leonard has received a message that his custom dictionary is full. He wonders if he can expand it or find a way to use the CUSTOM2.DIC file that his copy of Word doesn't seem to recognize.

There's a good chance that the custom dictionary isn't really full; Word sometimes gives this message in error. Word MVP Suzanne Barnhill discusses this error a bit at her website and provides a link to the Micosoft Knowledge Base:

http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/MasterSpellCheck.htm#NotAdded

There is no real way to expand a dictionary if it really is full, but you can instruct Word to recognize and use other dictionaries on your system. If you are using a version of Word prior to Word 2007 you should follow these steps:

1. Choose Options from the Tools dialog box. Word displays the Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the Spelling & Grammar tab is displayed. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Click the Custom Dictionaries button. Word displays the Custom Dictionaries dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
4. Click the Add button. Word displays the Add Custom Dictionary dialog box. This looks very similar to a standard Open dialog box.
5. Use the controls in the dialog box to locate and select the dictionary you want to be used by Word. (This is where you would select the CUSTOM2.DIC file.)
6. Click OK. Word adds the selected dictionary to the list of available dictionaries in the Custom Dictionaries dialog box.
7. Select the new custom dictionary in the list of available dictionaries; make sure there is a check mark next to the dictionary name.
8. Click the Change Default button.
9. Close all the open dialog boxes.

Word will now use the dictionary you specified in step 7 as the dictionary for its spell checking tasks. If you are using Word 2007 then you should follow these steps instead:

1. Click the Office button and then click Word Options. Word displays the Word Options dialog box.
2. Click the Proofing option at the left of the dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Click the Custom Dictionaries button. Word displays the Custom Dictionaries dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
4. Click the Add button. Word displays the Add Custom Dictionary dialog box. This looks very similar to a standard Open dialog box.
5. Use the controls in the dialog box to locate and select the dictionary you want to be used by Word. (This is where you would select the CUSTOM2.DIC file.)
6. Click Open. Word adds the selected dictionary to the list of available dictionaries in the Custom Dictionaries dialog box.
7. Select the new custom dictionary in the list of available dictionaries; make sure there is a check mark next to the dictionary name.
8. Click the Change Default button.
9. Close all the open dialog boxes.